


Spooking the Fish

by Nuinzilien



Category: TOLKIEN J. R. R. - Works
Genre: But Sailors are the best a BS, Divination is a wooly art, M/M, Unless you're Elrond
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-12
Updated: 2014-01-12
Packaged: 2018-01-08 10:45:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,432
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1131716
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nuinzilien/pseuds/Nuinzilien
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Two elves take a day off to discuss the future</p>
            </blockquote>





	Spooking the Fish

**Author's Note:**

> Big thank you to my beta Lalaith_Raina for all the hard work to make me look good!
> 
> As always, the characters aren't mine. So sad.

Thin lips molesting his ear tip pulled Ereinion Gil-galad out of his contemplation.  He huffed and put aside what was possibly the most boring report in the history of reports.  “Haven’t you a realm to oversee?  Fish to terrorize?”

Cirdan chuckled in his ear “Aye, but unlike your royal self, I know how to delegate.”

“In other words, let everyone else do the drudge work for you.”

“Not ALL the work.”  Cirdan sat his ancient but shapely backside upon sheets and sheets of supply reports and battle stratagems.  “Seriously, Rodnor.  Your dedication to duty is admirable, but all work and no play leaves Gil-galad with no heirs.”

The High King of the Noldor gave an inelegant snort.  “If that is true, why are you not knee-deep in elflings with fishing poles?”

Cirdan chuckled.  “Simple.  In order to beget said pole-toting heirs, one must first find a wife with whom to beget them.  As you often enjoyed reminding me in your youth, I am old and set in my ways.  It would be terribly cruel to take a wife at this point, and frankly, I cannot think of a single self-respecting elleth who would put up with me.”

“And so you will continue to molest your poor cabin boys.”

Cirdan huffed.  “I defy you to name even one of my cabin boys who ever complained about his treatment under my command.”

“I cannot,” Gil-galad admitted.  “Are they still tripping over themselves to compete for your attention?”

“Aye,” he grumbled.  “Constantly arranging and rearranging my ship and offices until I can barely find myself.  And how young!  Half of these young pups are barely out of the schoolroom!  I believe one still had the feeding cord attached to his navel…”

Gil-galad shook his head, finally cracking a genuine smile.  “I would say I pity you, but that would be a lie.  Tis nearly as bad in Lindon.  Each morning I wake to find at least seven full outfits laid out , all nice and neat, by brazen young ellith hoping to sleep their way up the social ladder from scullery made to Queen.”

“And here?”

“Not as bad.  I have had a few subtle offers, and a few not-so-subtle offers.  But most of the locals are either too intimidated or more interested in rustling Elrond’s sheets than they are mine.”

“Lucky you, then.”

Gil-galad eyed him.  “I am not going to get anything else accomplished today, am I?”

“Highly doubtful.  But while you were bashing your head in here, I was exploring, and I must say, your herald has chosen a nice piece of land.  Nice views, and the Bruinen looks quite promising.”

“Promising for what, exactly?”

“Dinner.”

“But Elrond is expe-you already made our excuses, didn’t you?”

“Aye, he moved the festivities to tomorrow.  He agrees that you need relaxation.”

“Well, it seems I am being conspired against.”  The king stood.  “Lead on.”

 

~~~,~~<@          @>~~,~~~

 

Gil-galad followed Cirdan down the winding trail toward the sound of rushing water.  “How is this a good fishing spot?  The water is too loud and choppy.”

Cirdan put his pole and saddlebag on the water’s grassy edge.  He gave the young king a dismayed look.  “You need this more than I thought if you can spout that drivel with a straight face.”

Gil-galad looked affronted.  “Excuse me, but when I was younger, I distinctly remember being told that choppy waters and loud noises will frighten the fish away.”

The shipwright snorted.  “Certainly not by me.”

Ereinion smirked.  “Certainly it wa-“  He paused.  “It was not.”

Cirdan threaded the line onto his pole.  “Twas a page who told you that sorry bit of nonsense, no doubt.”

“Bos’n told us.”

“Us?”

“Aye.  A fair sized group of us were restless after the long winter and begged to go out.  Bos’n took us onto the shoals to burn off energy.  We got a bit rowdy, so he told us we were spooking our dinner.”

“So did you have dinner that night?”

“Aye, once we quieted a bit, we were able to catch a few.”

“Mmm.”  Cirdan baited his hook.

After a moment, Gil-Galad sighed and began to prepare his own pole.  “Drivel, eh?”

“Aye.  Now hush, or you will spook the fish.”

“So terribly amusing, you are…”

“So good of you to say so.”

~~~,~~<@          @>~~,~~~

They fished in companionable silence for hours, neither of them catching much of anything.

The king flopped back on the grass with a heavy sigh.  “I needed this.”

“Are the pressures of kingship taking such a toll on you?  You look like something a whale might have spat up.”

“Kingship I can handle just fine.  You made certain of that during my youth.  Tis the war and the crawling sensation in my gut that wears on me.”

“Crawling sensation?”  Cirdan grounded his pole and turned.  “Explain.”

“If only I could!  It would be easier to deal with the issue and just be done with it.”

“Hmm…” Cirdan seemed in thought.  “When did this feeling first make itself known?”

“Eight months ago.”

“What happened eight months ago?”

“Not much really.  I read reports, made battle plans, blessed joining…” He pondered.  “Though...”

“Though what, Rodnor?”

“We were hosting a group of entertainers from Rohan.  They had an old crone who was supposedly known for her ability to see into the future.  They offered her services, and on a lark, I accepted.  I had to go through this elaborate cleansing ceremony, bring my own ‘virgin sage’, purified cotton draping for her table, and tall beeswax candles.”

“Sounds like the lady was taking advantage of a wealthy client to restock the tools of her trade.”

“Aye, especially given that we never used any of it!  I met her in her chamber, gave her the requested items… and then she began screaming as if I were torturing her!”

“Sounds like you were fleeced, m’lad.”

“Aye, I thought so too, and informed her group’s leader that I would be contacting her King about the disrespect.  He was, of course, quite apologetic.”

“I’ll just bet he was.”

“Oddly, the lady in question approached me later.  She apologized for her reaction and wanted another ‘session’.”

“With new tools, no doubt.”

Gil-Galad smiled.  “Actually, I did not even need to be cleansed again.”

“Smart lady.”

“Aye.  The session itself was relatively uneventful.  She knew quite a bit about me, so either she truly was cursed with the Sight, or she had done her research.”

“So did she explain herself?”

“Aye, but what she said made no sense.  She said a spectre followed behind me and darkness surrounded my path.”

“Nicely vague.”

“She apologized for that, too.  Said when she tried, all she saw was mist and shadow.”

“Have you spoken with our host?”

“I have.  He said it was best not to swell on such predictions, particularly given the lady’s questionable credibility.”

“A valid enough point.  Has he mentioned any darkness or misty spectres?”

“Nay.”

Cirdan smiled.  “Then let it trouble your mind no longer.  What will be will be, and if not even Elrond’s abilities can see this mysterious darkness, it would be safe to say that perhaps the lady was mistaken.”

Gil-Galad sighed and recast.  “Aye, of course you are right.  I suppose it is only anxiety.  We march on Barad-Dur in 6 months.”

 “The Deceiver will finally reap what he has sewn.  Good.  I have long grown tired of hearing his names.”

“I suspect we all have.  What will you do when our mission is accomplished?”

“Return to Mithlond, most likely.  Once Annatar is defeated, I suspect many of the Eldar will wish to sail West.”

“And you, old friend?  Will you sail?”

Cirdan shrugged.  “At some point, aye.  But there is still enough here on Arda to hold my interest.”

“Bigger fish?”

“Tis not the fish that hold my interest, Rodnor.”

Gil-Galad blinked, now thoroughly intrigued.  “Not the fish?  The waters?”

“Nay.”

“What, then?”

Cirdan leaned in.  “An ellon,” he whispered.

The high king swallowed.  “O-oh?”

“Aye, an ellon.  A dark-eyed ellon of indescribable beauty and grace.”  Cirdan moved closer, his pale eyes intense.  “Youth and wisdom rest on his brow, and even the brightest of Elbereth’s stars will pale in comparison to his radiance.”

Gil-galad was suddenly aware of their close proximity. “I…I think I should very much like to meet this ellon.”

“Oh, I think that can be arranged,” Cirdan purred.

~~~~~~,~~<@           @>~~,~~~~~~~~

  
From his terrace over the river, Elrond watched the cavorting elves below.  A newly returned Glorfindel stood beside him.  “What do you see, my lord?”

“Nothing,” Elrond lied, turning away from shadow and mist.  “Just two elves spooking the fish.”


End file.
